Mary Beth Buchanan

Mary Beth Buchanan
Official Justice Department photo
Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women
In office November 2006 – December 2007
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Diane Stuart
Succeeded by	Cindy Dyer
Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys
In office June 2004 – June 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Guy A. Lewis
Succeeded by	Michael A. Battle
United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania
In office September 14, 2001 – November 16, 2009
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Fred Thieman
Succeeded by	Robert S. Cessar
Personal details
Born	Roscoe, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Thomas C. Buchanan
Alma mater	California University of Pennsylvania (BA) University of Pittsburgh (JD)
Profession	Politician U.S. Attorney

Mary Beth Buchanan (née Kotcella) is the former United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She was nominated by George W. Bush on September 5, 2001, and confirmed by the United States Senate on September 14, 2001.

Buchanan was the first woman and youngest person to be appointed to the position. Under Attorneys General John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales, Buchanan held two key Justice Department posts, splitting time between Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh up until her resignation as Acting Director of the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women in December 2007. In May 2010, Buchanan was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district, but was defeated in the Republican primary.